Only
by CSI-girly
Summary: After a string of relationship let downs, Catherine finally sees the one person that has been there for her constantly.
1. Chapter 1

**Disc. I don't own these characters, I can only wish. The characters and CSI in general belong to their respective owners. I do own the plot of this story, however.**

**Please read and review. It's the longest story I've written and would really like to know if people are enjoying it before I go on to finish it so it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! x**

Catherine was beginning to panic as it dawned on her that she only had 30 minutes left to get ready for her date that night and her bedroom looked like it had been ransacked. Various dresses, tops, skirts and shoes lay scattered around and she still hadn't managed to put an outfit together. She sighed as she slumped onto the bed, looking around.

"Linds! Can you come in here and help me, honey?" she called, thinking that a little guidance from her teenage daughter was what she needed. She listened as she heard Lindsey approaching and entering the room.

"Yeah, what is it Mom?" The younger blonde asked, taking note of the mess and the fact that her mother was still in her dressing gown.

"Are you even going out tonight? Uncle Gil is going to be here in like 15 minutes."

"Yes, I know that. I just have no idea what to wear," Catherine replied, sounding defeated.

Rolling her eyes, Lindsey shifted across the room to her mother's wardrobe, being careful not to trample on any of the garments lying around. She stared into the wardrobe for a minute, nibbling on her forefinger nail before reaching for a simple, deep purple cocktail dress.

"Here, put this on," she ordered, passing the dress to her mother.

"Lindsey, this is old and I don't know if it even fits me anymore," Catherine complained.

"Well you won't know until you try it on and who cares if it's old. Nobody will even know," Lindsey argued. "Go on, hurry!" She pushed the dress into her mother's hands.

Hauling herself from the bed, Catherine went into the bathroom to change, laughing inwardly at the way her daughter was treating her while Lindsey searched the room for a pair of shoes.

"Nope… Umm nope. Ooh, these are nice now where's the other?" Lindsey muttered to herself as she scanned the room.

Meanwhile in the bathroom, Catherine looked at herself in the mirror, trying her hair in different styles but not entirely happy in the dress she was wearing. Taking a deep breath, she let her hair fall around her shoulders and straightened up her outfit. She opened the bathroom door, re-entering the bedroom as Lindsey glanced up from her mother's jewellery drawer.

"Perfect," she grinned but Catherine screwed up her face a little.

"I don't know, Linds. It's a little short, I'm too old for this sort of thing now."

"It's not!" Lindsey argued, "You look great now try these on with it," she instructed, handing a pair of silver stiletto sandals to Catherine. The strawberry blonde sat on the bed, fastening her shoes as she heard the doorbell sound.

"I'll get it!" Lindsey exclaimed, bounding out of the room." Looking in the mirror, Catherine tilted her head a little, taking in the image she saw, all the while listening to the familiar voice chatting to her daughter. She thought to herself, nibbling on her lower lip when she was interrupted by the bedroom door being opened.

"Hey Mom, I thought you could do with Uncle Gil's opinion too so I brought him up. Maybe he'll be able to convince you that you look fine," Lindsey smiled.

"Linds, the place is a mess. I'll come downst-" Catherine was cut off as Lindsey hauled a shy-looking Gil into the room.

"Oh hey Gil," she laughed a little. Gil's eyes wandered around the room before resting on the sight of Catherine before him.

"Couldn't find something to wear, huh?" he chuckled, receiving an embarrassed smile from Catherine. Lindsey watched the pair for a minute then interrupted.

"So she looks great, right Uncle Gil?" she beamed.

"Yeah, you look gorgeous Cath," he smiled softly, nervously placing a hand on Catherine's elbow and encouraging her to turn around. She complied, twirling slowly, allowing Gil to judge her outfit from every angle and let out a small giggle at the dazed expression Gil's face had adopted.

"I'm glad you like it, Gil," she laughed. Gil felt a small nudge in his arm and turned to find Lindsey smiling cheekily at him. As Gil began to blush, they heard the doorbell again. Gil was relieved that it had interrupted them and prevented any more embarrassment on his part. Catherine took a deep breath and proceeded to leave the room but felt a soft tug on her arm.

"Wait, you forgot your jewellery," Lindsey reminded her, grabbing a sparkling silver and diamante set from the dresser. Catherine fixed her earrings while Lindsey fastened her necklace and handed her a matching bracelet, helping her to fasten the clasp. The doorbell sounded again and Catherine hurried from the room, grabbing her bag on the way. Lindsey followed behind Gil, closing the door behind her.


	2. Chapter 2

Joining Catherine at the foot of the stairs, Gil and Lindsey were introduced to Catherine's date, Tyler. A tall, handsome man clad in a neat, black suit. He seemed pleasant and smiled politely, leaning over to shake both of their hands before returning his hand to the small of Catherine's back. The movement hadn't escaped Gil's attention.

"Okay, so I'll be home around midnight. I will have my phone with me so don't hesitate to call if anything comes up and Lindsey, behave for Gil, okay honey?" Catherine instructed, placing a kiss to the top of her daughter's head. "And thanks a lot for doing this Gil, I owe you one," she smiled, giving him a peck on the cheek.

Lindsey and Gil stood at the door to see Catherine off before returning to the livingroom, settling themselves on the sofa. Gil suddenly felt awkward.

"So what did you want to do tonight, Lindsey?" Gil asked, unsure that he could suggest something that the girl would enjoy. Lindsey pondered for a second.

"Well I got a new DVD the other day. I haven't watched it yet. Plus Mom bought popcorn and crisps for us. Oh, and some beers for you but she said you can't have more than three," she explained.

"Oh she did, huh?" Gil queried, slightly amused at Catherine's orders. "Well how about you get your DVD and I'll make the popcorn? Sound like a plan?" Lindsey grinned and scurried upstairs. 'So far, so good' he mused, feeling relatively proud of himself.

By the time she returned, Gil had laid out bowls of popcorn and crisps on the coffee table alongside a glass of Coke for Lindsey and a beer for himself. She smiled at the sight and inserted the DVD into the machine before taking her place next to Gil on the sofa again with her drink.

The evening gradually progressed with the two watching various DVDs and making some small talk. Gil had enjoyed spending time with the girl, which surprised him since he hadn't much experience with children. Excepting the ones that had ended up in his lab under horrendous circumstances.

Before they knew it, it was already 11.30 pm. Gil turned his attention from the TV screen to Lindsey and found she had fallen asleep. He wasn't exactly sure what to do in this situation but decided it'd be best to get her to bed. Gently, he shook her, whispering her name in an attempt to wake her up but received no response. He examined her for a few seconds as she slept, admiring the resemblance to her mother. Letting out a quiet sigh, he removed the glass from her hand and carefully shifted her into a more comfortable position, placing a cushion beneath her head. Content with his efforts, he switched off the television and set on tidying up the room a little before Catherine got back.


	3. Chapter 3

It wasn't long before she returned. Quietly, she slipped inside, removing her shoes at the door and finding her daughter fast asleep on the sofa. She went in search of Gil and was led to the kitchen by the sound of a gentle commotion. On entering the kitchen, she found the man in question tidying away some dishes and obviously unaware of her presence. She folded her arms and cleared her throat, getting his attention.

"Oh hey, Cath," he greeted her quietly with a slight smile. "How was your date?"

"Oh it was okay, I'm not sure that there will be another though," she laughed a little, approaching him. "How was your evening with Lindsey?" she tilted her head.

"It was nice," he began. "We watched some DVDs, talked for a little while then the next I knew, she was fast asleep," Catherine smiled. "Would you like a drink?" he asked, offering her a beer.

"Yeah, why not?" she replied, setting herself on the counter beside him. He handed her the beer and leaned slightly on the counter next to her. Catherine reached past him for another bottle, and offered it in Gil's direction.

"I can't, I was under orders not to have more than three and I'm afraid I've reached that limit." He smiled sheepishly. Catherine rolled her eyes and pushed the bottle into his hand. "You've done your part and Lindsey's asleep now so it's all good," she smiled back.

A moment passed before Gil spoke up. "So, what happened on your date?" He asked curiously, taking a sip of beer.

"Oh we just talked." Catherine paused. "Or should I say _he_ talked… the whole time," she laughed, shaking her head. "I mean, I know on the first date you're supposed to be getting to know each other but he didn't even give me a chance to begin telling him about myself," she whined.

Gil raised his eyebrows and muttered into his bottle, "good job." He took another sip of beer and concealed a smile.

"Oh shut up, I don't talk _that_ much," Catherine giggled, nudging Gil, causing him to spill some beer down his chin. "You had that coming," she laughed, taking a sip of her own drink, before lowering the bottle to her lap with a sigh. Her smile faltered and she looked up at Gil with an expression he couldn't quite decipher. Nervousness perhaps? It was obvious she wanted to ask something and she bit her lip a little.

"Did Lindsey say anything about what she thought of me going on a date?"

"No, it didn't come up. Why?" Gil asked a little concerned.

"Oh, I don't know." She looked at her hands. "I don't really know how she feels about me and the whole dating thing. I mean, I know she seemed enthusiastic about me going tonight but she never really asks about my date afterwards or if I'll be seeing the guy again." She explained quietly, making eye contact with Gil again. "It's like she assumes it's just a one night thing to get me out of the house for a while and socialise or something. I don't know how she'd feel if I found a guy and decided to settle down with him, you know?" Catherine bit her lip again.

"I think she would be pleased for you, Cath. It's been a long time since Eddie now and I think all she wants for you now is to be happy. She would adjust to having a guy around. For you, she would." Gil comforted.

"Yeah?" Catherine asked, not entirely convinced.

"Yeah, of course," Gil confirmed, placing a hand on Catherine's arm. She smiled at the gesture and covered his hand with hers. "Thanks," was her reply, receiving a gentle nod from Gil. The friends sat in a comfortable silence before Gil spoke up, unable to hold back his curiosity any longer.

"So what would this… _guy_ be like?" He raised an eyebrow and smiled nervously. He heard the question in his head and wished he hadn't asked. But it was already out there and he couldn't take it back now.

Catherine was a little taken aback at his forwardness but laughed. "Umm… I don't really know." She thought about it for a moment and was certain that if it wasn't for all the wine she had during dinner, she probably wouldn't have answered. But her judgement had been somewhat altered and she found herself answering him anyway. "Romantic? And caring I guess. He'd have to be able to make me laugh too," she smiled. "And… protective of Lindsey and me but not overly so. Maybe good in bed too," she blushed, drinking her beer.

Gil laughed shaking his head. "You never fail to surprise me, Catherine." She joined in his laughter.

"Well, it's not really that important but if I was being honest, I don't know if I could marry a guy if the sex wasn't great." She took a sip of her beer while Gil's laughter continued to fill the kitchen.

"Ssshh, you'll wake Lindsey," Catherine giggled, gently slapping him in the arm with the back of her hand.

"I know, I'm sorry," Gil whispered, still laughing quietly. He finished his beer, placing the empty bottle in the recycle bin.

He took a deep breath, regrettably knowing that it was about time for him to leave. He had been enjoying their banter. "Well I guess I should get going now anyway. You must be tired after all that listening you had to do," he teased. Catherine rolled her eyes, also finishing her drink.

"I'll see you to the door," she hopped down from the counter, holding onto Gil for support.


	4. Chapter 4

"Thanks again Gil," Catherine smiled as Gil opened the front door quietly and stepped outside. "For watching Lindsey I mean."

"Anytime Cath, you know that." Gil smiled back.

"I know," she murmured, leaning forward to give him a brief kiss, surprised that he didn't seem hesitant to return it. "It doesn't make me any less grateful though."

Gil nodded and lowered his voice to a whisper, remembering that Lindsey was still asleep. "You should go back inside, it's cold. I'll see you tomorrow, Cath." He paused. "Goodnight." And with that, he turned and began heading down the drive. Catherine closed the door quietly and moved towards the livingroom window to peek past the curtain and watch him go down the street until he was no longer in sight.

"Is uncle Gil gone?" Lindsey's voice came from the sofa, startling Catherine slightly. She turned from the window.

"Oh you're awake." She moved towards the sofa to settle herself down on the arm next to Lindsey who was now sitting upright. "Yeah, he just left."

"Yeah, I've sort of been awake since I heard you coming in." Lindsey laughed a little. "I just couldn't be bothered getting up."

"Oh you have? You looked like you were sleeping to me," Catherine joined in her laughter.

"I have and I heard you talking to uncle Gil… Well some of it anyway."

Catherine's expression sobered a little. "Oh… Which part did you hear?"

"Well I know you asked him about what I thought of you dating." Lindsey caught her mother's gaze and held it.

"And?" Catherine pushed.

"It doesn't bother me that you date," Lindsey answered. "Or that you might bring a guy home to live with us sometime." Catherine let out a small breath she didn't even realise she had been withholding.

"Are you sure honey? I mean you know I wouldn't make that sort of decision unless I was really sure about it and it was okay with you."

"Yeah," Lindsey smiled reassuringly. "You'll need somebody around to look after you when I move out," she laughed.

"Hey, I can look after myself you know," Catherine replied, nudging her daughter gently. "I don't need anybody to take care of me or help me."

"I know that, I was only kidding. God, I can just imagine some poor guy wanting to look after you and his efforts being thrown out the window because you're so damn stubborn," Lindsey laughed. "But seriously Mom, I wouldn't want you to be lonely or spending all your time at work because there's nobody for you to come home to."

Catherine smiled softly at Lindsey and reached across to tenderly tuck her hair behind her ear. "You're growing up too quickly." She mocked a sad face, receiving a shy smile from Lindsey. "But you don't have to worry about me, I'll be okay honey. I mean I have your grandma, Nancy, uncle Gil… I won't be alone."

"Uncle Gil?" Lindsey repeated.

"Well… Yeah of course, he's been my best friend for years. Why?" Catherine asked curiously. Lindsey failed in her attempts to disguise her slightly cheeky grin. She pondered for a moment before daring to venture down the path she had frequently wanted to explore.

"Are you going to ask him to move in with us?" she raised an eyebrow, smirking at her mother.

Catherine's expression retorted into one of shock. "What? No! What gave you that idea? I just meant that he would be there if I needed somebody even just to share breakfast with or something," she quickly defended herself.

"… Or to make you laugh or protect you? Who knows, maybe he's good in bed too," Lindsey finished with a shrug, trying to make the conversation seem normal but knowing full well she was pushing her luck. "Not that that's really something I want to think about," she screwed up her face and shivered. Catherine's jaw dropped and she blushed furiously. She was unable to decipher whether she was imagining what her daughter was suggesting or not.

"Lindsey where are you going with this?" Catherine asked, folding her arms. She wanted to make sure she was on the same page as Lindsey but also make her aware of the fact that she was treading very thinly.

Lindsey's courage began to deteriorate with her mother's actions and she stuttered. "I… Well, you know… I've kinda… Well I've kinda noticed how you act around him," she took in a short breath, dreadng her mother's response.

"How I act? Like what, Linds?" Catherine questioned in a slight angry tone.

"You're sort of like… different, I guess?" Lindsey began to cower under Catherine's glare.

"In what way?"

"I don't know how to describe it. You know, lets forget I even brought this up, Mom. I won't mention it again. I just want to go to bed now." Lindsey moved to stand up but Catherine placed her hand on her shoulder, forcing her to stay seated.

"Oh no you don't. Tell me what you mean Linds." Lindsey slouched into the seat and sighed. "How long have you known uncle Gil, Mom?"

"Umm… 20 plus years. Why?"

"So you like him a lot, right?" Catherine sharply cut in. "Get to the point Linds, I'm tired too remember."

Lindsey sighed. "Well it shows how happy he can make you. And I'm not sure anybody else will compare to him… In terms of making you happy I mean. Plus I think you make him pretty happy too, Mom." Lindsey avoided eye contact, unsure of what her mother was going to say next but hoping she'd got her point across despite how vague she'd been.

"You're right…" was the reply, causing Lindsey to look up quickly. "He does make me very happy." She paused. "And I do like him a lot. But we're just good friends Linds. It sounds to me like you're suggesting there's something more there but there's not."

Lindsey grew a little frustrated. "Oh come on, Mom… You can't seriously-" A glimpse of Catherine's expression cut her off. "Okay… yeah. Well I'm going to go to bed. I'll see you later. Goodnight Mom." Lindsey leaned over to hug her mother and received a kiss on the cheek followed by a "goodnight". Then she scampered up to her bedroom, leaving Catherine dwelling on what they had just discussed.


	5. Chapter 5

Thanks to everybody who has reviewed this so far and have been patiently waiting for updates. It motivates me to keep writing when I know people actually care about where it goes (:

**Ooh and I've just realised that in the disclaimer in chapter 1 I wrote that I didn't own the characters when I do in fact own Tyler lol. Yeah I'm kinda slow…**

**Also, I think I should mention my Berty doodle here haha. After writing up to the fourth chapter, I wasn't sure I'd finish this story because I had no ideas or motivation to keep going. But she kept getting on my case to write more so I guess she should be thanked for updates because they wouldn't exist without her nagging lol. You know I love you really Berty *Tehe* *Bob hugs* **

**Anyway, now that that's cleared up, here's chapter five. Keep reviewing! x**

The next night at work, Gil and Catherine were on separate cases but happened to take a break at the same time. Gil wandered into the break room to find Catherine, coffee in one hand and phone in the other. She was smiling at the message she was reading. Gil paused for a moment at the door, unsure of whether he should interrupt her. 'I wonder what she's smiling about,' he thought. Eventually his curiosity became too much to bear and he entered the room.

"Hey Cath." He broke the silence and went to pour himself a coffee. Catherine looked up briefly and gave him a quick 'hello' before her attention was brought back to her phone. He frowned a little and approached the table, taking a seat across from her, not wanting to invade her personal space. He watched as Catherine typed a message on her phone then placed it down on the table with a sigh, the smile never leaving her face. Gil took this as his cue to start up a conversation.

"So how's the case going, Cath?" He sipped his coffee, relishing the bitter taste.

"It's umm… yeah, it's okay. Brass is…" she paused trying to put the sentence together, "following up a lead as we speak." Gil narrowed his eyes. Her distracted answer made it obvious that she was still thinking about the message she'd been reading when he first entered.

"That's good," was all he said.

"Yeah…" Catherine smiled, eyeing her phone again. Gil was increasingly anxious to know what had his friend so preoccupied but didn't feel brave enough to ask. He decided to continue the conversation based on their cases.

"What-" he was suddenly cut off by the loud vibration of Catherine's phone against the table. She snatched it up, eager to read her new message. Gil stared at her for a moment, noticing how her smile grew and she bit her lip a little. He began pondering over the mystery person who was texting Catherine. 'It might just be Lindsey,' he thought. 'Or maybe Nancy.' He was brought out of his reverie by Catherine's voice.

"Sorry about that, Tyler has been messaging me all day. What were you about to ask?"

Gil felt a pang in his stomach. 'Tyler?!' He cried out in his head. 'As in boring, non-stop-talking Tyler?! Tyler the posh suit man who reeked of aftershave which, lets face it, didn't smell all that great, and had his hand-"

"Gil?" Catherine looked rather confused as Gil had been sitting there with various emotions fleeting across his eyes, yet still hadn't said a word to answer her question. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, uhh sorry," he smiled sheepishly. "I've forgotten what I was going to ask now," he lowered his head to his cup, his mind still racing as he drank his coffee.

A few minutes of silence passed between them with Catherine's phone going off at intervals. She then spoke up.

"Gil?" He looked up just about to take his last sip of coffee. Catherine shifted a little in her seat, seemingly uncomfortable with what she was about to say.

"Umm… Would you be willing to take a night off next week to look after Lindsey again?" She watched his expression. He looked a little stunned.

"I guess so," he finally blurted out. "Last night wasn't so bad." He shrugged before deciding it was safe enough to go ahead and ask where she was going, though he had pretty much already concluded it was something to do with Tyler. "Are you going out?" He held her gaze and noted how her cheeks turned a lovely shade of pink.

"Yeah," she answered quietly. "I have umm… Well Tyler asked me out on another date." She smiled shyly and shrugged.

"Oh, that's good." He paused. "I thought you weren't going to see him again though. Because he talks too much," he chuckled, remembering how last night Catherine had whined about not having a chance to talk about herself.

"Yeah well… I thought I'd give him another chance. Everybody deserves one, right?" Before Gil could answer, the phone on the table between them vibrated again. Catherine smiled apologetically and picked it up. Gil stood up and brought both of their cups to the sink to clean them. After replying to the message Catherine also stood up with a sigh and approached him. She fidgeted a little.

"I have something else to ask, Gil." She watched his hands. Gil placed the clean cups on the draining board before turning to her, towel in hand, to await her question. She looked up at him, leaning against the counter. "Would you mind having Lindsey stay at your place?"

She suddenly felt very shy. Gil wasn't dumb and she knew he would realise why she wanted an empty house that night. He raised an eyebrow, which only made her feel more embarrassed. She tried to mask it.

"Don't look at me like that, Gil. Just tell me if you can manage it." She rolled her eyes.

'She doesn't hang around, does she?' Gil thought worriedly, before answering. "Yes I can, I'll settle the night off with Ecklie."

She took a deep breath. "Thanks, I owe you. Anyway, best get back to work. I'll catch up with you later." She turned to leave the break room. Gil called after her on her way out.

"You still owe me from the last time, Cath!" She turned to give him a wink before exiting the break room with a smile, leaving him smiling back and shaking his head. 'You can't help but love her,' he thought.

His head snapped up as it occurred to him what he'd just let slip through his mind.


	6. Chapter 6

Okay so here's chapter 6. I hope people are enjoying the story so far. I have a rough idea of where it might go but I need the encouragement so please review! x

It was Saturday morning and Gil and Catherine had just finished their shift. Catherine made a brief visit to Gil's office as she was about to leave. She opened the door, seeing him tidying his desk and leaned in.

"I'm off Gil, I'll see you tonight."

Gil looked up at her quizzically. "You're going home?"

"Yeah, I'm going to get a few hours sleep then I have to collect Lindsey from school and get ready for my date with Tyler," she smiled.

"Oh…" Gil looked a little disappointed. "I thought maybe you could come to mine for breakfast before you went home since it's been a few weeks. But that's okay. You should go and get some rest Cath, I'll see you tonight," he put on a smile and continued with what he was doing before she had entered. He had really wanted to have breakfast with her because, though he'd never admit it, he missed their tradition. Catherine sensed his disappointment and felt a little guilty. She enjoyed sharing breakfast with him too but had wanted a good sleep following her difficult shift.

'Oh what the hell,' she thought. "I'll come for breakfast Gil," she smiled warmly and fully entered the room. Gil's expression lightened again.

"Are you sure? You don't have to…"

"Of course I do. And besides you're right; it has been a while. Too long, I'd say." Her smile widened, eliciting a lopsided grin from Gil.

**************

They departed from the lab and made their way to Gil's townhouse in their separate vehicles, Gil arriving there first. He went inside and started on breakfast, awaiting Catherine's arrival. She hadn't been far behind him and was soon parked up and making her way through his front door. She put extra force into closing the door, making her presence known.

Hearing him in the kitchen, she left him to his own devices and plopped down in his squishy couch. "It's so good to relax," she sighed. He smiled, peering through the door and seeing her rest her head against the back of the couch and close her eyes.

"Omelette?"

Without opening her eyes, she smiled and replied, "mmm, yes please." A few seconds passed and she opened one eye to look in his direction, finding that he was watching her. Closing her eye again, she restrained her smile but had no control over the slight warmth spreading over her cheeks. "Are you staring at me Gil Grissom?"

It was Gil's turn to blush. 'Oh God, was I staring?' "Uhh…" He struggled to come up with an answer, his mouth opening and closing. He gestured in front of himself as if he was trying to conjure up the words by magic. He became desperate. 'Say something! Anything!' "I…" She had caught him off guard and ruined all train of thought. As the seconds passed, Catherine was aware of Gil's discomfort and broke the silence. She smiled. "It's okay, don't panic Gil. I'm flattered," she laughed softly and opened her eyes again.

He took a deep breath, still highly embarrassed. "I'm sorry, Cath." His face reddened fiercely. 'This is _so _awkward,' he told himself. Feeling slightly sorry for her friend, Catherine rose from the couch and approached him. "Don't be, it's fine," she grinned, patting him on the cheek on her way into the kitchen. He stood, glued to the spot and hung his head, his face tingling from her touch. Sighing, he joined Catherine in the kitchen. She was serving the omelette he had been making which was now slightly overcooked.

"Breakfast is ready," she changed the subject which Gil was extremely thankful for. He placed the cooking dishes in the dishwasher as Catherine served his omelette with screwdrivers, making Gil's stronger than usual. 'I think he needs it,' she mused, holding in a giggle.

They were soon both seated and tucking into breakfast in comfortable silence. They didn't need conversation and were content with simply being in each other's company, stealing the odd glance or smile.

In finishing his meal, Gil stood to place his dishes in the sink. He eyed Catherine still eating and noticed the empty glass beside her.

"Would you like another drink?"

Taking the last bite off her fork, she smiled and lifted her glass towards him. She placed the fork on the plate and leaned back in her chair with a sigh and patted her stomach, earning an infamous 'Grissom' smile.

"Go into the livingroom, I'll bring your drink to you," Gil instructed, motioning towards the other room with his head.

"Thanks," Catherine replied, and headed for the comfortable couch. Gil soon accompanied her with a drink for each of them. She scooted a little closer and rested her head against his shoulder, holding the glass in her lap.

"We need to make this a regular thing again," she yawned. Gil could smell the sweet familiar fragrance of her shampoo and inhaled deeply, agreeing with her as he exhaled. They enjoyed a few moments of silence.

"Are you looking forward to your date tonight, Cath?" Gil had been thinking about Catherine going out all week and had begun to develop a slight jealousy for the man taking her. Though he wasn't fully aware of it yet.

"Yeah, hopefully I'll have more fun this time," she breathed a laugh. Gil's heart sank, as he thought about the kind of fun she might be referring to.

He paused before asking, "Is Lindsey still coming to stay here?" He privately hoped perhaps she'd changed her mind and didn't plan to bring her date home with her anymore.

"Yeah, if it's still okay?" She glanced up at him questioningly. 'No such luck,' thought Gil. "Of course it is," he smiled reassuringly, receiving a smile in return. Catherine's head found the resting place on his shoulder again and she took a sip of her drink while Gil contemplated his next question.

"Are you sure you're not taking things too fast Cath?" He knew he was taking a risk. She didn't like it when he voiced his negative opinions on her relationship choices. However, she was his best friend and he wanted to look out for her.

"Taking what too fast, Gil?" she asked. He sensed a hint of animosity in her voice, but continued none the less.

"You know what I'm talking about." He felt her tense and was beginning to regret taking that path. But he'd started it and now he had to go on. He braced himself for the potential that he would become victim to the Catherine Willows wrath and went on. "It's become quite obvious what your intentions are for your date tonight. I just wanted to check that you know what you're doing. Remember, it's only the second date, Cath."

She looked up at him incredulously and shifted away slightly. "I can't believe you Gil. That has nothing to do with you."

He cringed and began to panic. He decided it was best to retreat. "Cath, I'm sorry. I was just concerned. You're right it has nothing to do with me. Just… Let's forget I said anything." He pleaded with her, trying to convey his deep apology with his eyes. Catherine continued to stare and it occurred to her that she knew deep down that his heart had been in the right place. She sighed and lowered her head. She was too tired to argue and she didn't really want to fall out with her best friend anyway.

Keeping her eyes on her hands, she began, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you. It's just…" She shook her head. "I'm beyond tired, last night's shift took a lot out of me." She reclaimed his gaze. "I know you meant well." Giving a small apologetic smile, she placed her hand on his forearm.

"And in answer to your question, no - I don't know what I'm doing." She shrugged before she continued. "But I'm bored of the way my life has become, Gil. I figured I'd do something adventurous and take a risk." She was cut off as Gil recited her motto.

"Never doubt, never look back?" He smiled sheepishly.

She grinned. "Yeah." They gazed at one another before she moved back into his side and settled back against his couch, relieved that nothing damaging had come of their disagreement. He understood her perspective and accepted her justification of her decision.

They shared a short silence which was then broken by Catherine. "Well I guess I should get going." She swallowed the remainder of her drink and leaned forward to place the glass on a coaster on the table. Gil stood up with her and searched out her eyes for confirmation that he hadn't hurt her. She saw the questioning and reached out to pull him into a gentle hug which he gladly returned, tenderly rubbing her back.

"Thank you," she smiled as she pulled away, "for caring so much." It was all the confirmation Gil needed to know that they were fine.


	7. Chapter 7

Okay so this is chapter 7. Thank you to those that have reviewed so far, your encouragement helps. x (:

Gil had taken the liberty of renting some DVDs in preparation for Lindsey's sleep over that night, with a little guidance from the girl in the store who directed him to the newest releases. He also bought in a tub of mint chocolate chip ice cream, which he recalled being Lindsey's favourite, popcorn, pizza and various other junk foods. As he scanned the items scattered over his table, the one thought that entered his head was; 'Catherine is going to kill me.' He took a deep breath, pushing that thought aside, before heading upstairs with the intention of checking one last time that the spare bedroom was ready for his guest. However, he was interrupted at the top step by the melody of Catherine's greeting as she stepped through the door.

"Hey Gil! It's only us," he heard her calling. Turning on the step, he began to head back downstairs. "I'm here," he replied as the owner of the voice came into view along with her daughter. In catching a glimpse of Catherine's legs which were bared by the short, fitted red dress she was wearing, his heart thudded in his chest and his gaze drifted slowly upwards to meet her enchantingly blue eyes. "Wow…" he whispered to himself, struggling to keep his breathing under control. Praying neither Catherine nor Lindsey had heard him or noticed his involuntary reaction, he approached the pair at the bottom of the stairs. "Hi Cath, hello Lindsey." He gave a friendly smile as he eyed Lindsey's bag. "You can take that upstairs if you want, first door on the right."

"Great, thanks Uncle Gil," Lindsey grinned. "I'll be right back." She left the friends alone as she went to make herself at home. As Gil fought to keep his emotions in check, Catherine was the first to speak up.

"She's been as high as a kite all day. Couldn't wait for me to bring her here and practically dressed me herself to get me out of the house sooner," Catherine laughed running her fingers through her soft curls. He smiled as he admired her outfit again, though not so discreetly this time.

There was a slightly awkward pause as Gil tried to conjure up some courage. "Cath you look unbelievably stunning," he admitted uncharacteristically, giving a lopsided grin. Catherine began to feel a little insecure under his scrutiny.

"Thank you, it's very kind of you to say so… But please stop staring, you're making me even more nervous," she laughed.

"I'm sorry," Gil blushed. "You have nothing to be nervous about though Cath, you look incredible," he gestured towards her as he spoke. There was another awkward silence as the friends maintained eye contact before Lindsey interrupted.

"Nice room, Uncle Gil."

He turned his attention to he girl. "Thanks, glad you like it. Your Mom was just telling me how excited you've been about tonight." He was surprised at how much easier he found talking to the girl was this time. He observed as Lindsey glanced at her mother with a 'what did you say that for?' look. One that he'd seen grace Catherine's features a few times.

She turned back to him. "Well I've never stayed here before and new things are always exciting," she rolled her eyes in the hope that it didn't seem she'd been as excited as her mother made out. 'Good going Linds, that was so lame,' she scolded herself. She then decided it was time to get rid of her mother before she embarrassed her any more.

"Shouldn't you get going Mom? Tyler will be at the house soon and you won't even be there." It seemed to work as Catherine glanced at the clock and cursed silently. She took a deep breath. "Okay, same rules as last time Linds. And don't force Gil to stay up late watching movies with you if he doesn't want to, okay? Be good honey," she hugged her daughter tightly. She then moved on to hug Gil too, thanking him as she did so. Gil held her closely, reluctant to let her go on her date but she soon pulled away. "I'll come round sometime tomorrow before lunch, is that okay?"

"That's fine, I can cook you lunch if you want." Gil replied. Catherine smiled. "Sounds good. Well I have to go," she turned to leave and opened the door. "Bye guys," she threw over her shoulder. "Have fun," Gil called after her, receiving a smile as she closed the door behind her. Gil sighed, missing the presence of the strawberry blonde already. "Well it's just you and me Lindsey."

Once again, Gil enjoyed being around the girl. She had many traits in common with her mother which didn't help when he was trying to forget about his friend and what she might be up to. He worried about her. If he was honest with himself, what he really wanted to do was find her and bring her back to his house away from Tyler, though he was sure she wouldn't appreciate that. 'I hope that guy realises how lucky he is,' he thought, not really paying attention to the film that he and Lindsey were currently supposed to be watching but instead remembering Catherine's tight fitting dress.

Lindsey briefly glanced at Gil and took note of his deep trance-like state. He was staring into space.

"Uncle Gil, are you okay?" She tilted her head. Gil's head snapped up and caught the girl's gaze. "Yeah, sorry Lindsey. I was just thinking." He looked away again, towards the television screen.

She paused before continuing. "About Mom?"

Gil turned his attention back to Lindsey. "Huh?" 'Caught,' he realised. Lindsey withheld her giggle at how guilty he looked. "I know you're thinking about her, you were looking at that butterfly on the wall." Gil glanced at the butterfly in question and it occurred to him that he had indeed been looking at it. 'Figures. She _is_ the daughter of a fantastic CSI.'

"So what were you thinking about her?" Lindsey went on, bringing Gil out of his musing. A small battle broke out in his head. He knew he couldn't deny that he'd been thinking about the strawberry blonde but couldn't give the girl details on what he was really thinking. "I was just wondering about whether she was enjoying her date," she shrugged nonchalantly, hoping it would be a good enough answer. Lindsey smiled knowingly but decided not to press any further. Her mother had often mentioned how disclosed he could be so she turned back to the television. Gil was glad that the subject was dropped and tried to push any further thoughts or images of Catherine to the back of his mind. The night seemed to pass quicker that way.


	8. Chapter 8

Okay, this is chapter 8. I'm hoping it actually makes sense because I've gone back so many times re-writing parts, altering words or taking out things altogether and I'm still not sure I'm entirely happy with it. I'm not sure if I should have changed the rating for this chapter because of a certain word. There's only one so just be warned that it's there.

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Catherine was flirting unashamedly with Tyler. As his hand crept onto her knee under the table she shifted slightly closer, allowing him to proceed further. She twirled a lock of hair around her finger and smiled seductively as Tyler's fingers worked their way to her thigh. He leaned in as though to kiss her but instead skimmed along her cheek to whisper in her ear, causing her to blush and lower her head. Using his other hand, he raised her chin and slowly moved in to kiss her.

Just then, there was a startling ring and everything faded to black. Gil drifted back into consciousness and became aware of his surroundings and the fact that his phone was ringing and vibrating violently against his bedside table. He sat up, shaking his head in an attempt to rid himself of the images of Catherine still visible in his mind and reached out for his phone, taking note of the ID. He answered feeling slightly confused and concerned at the same time.

"Cath? Are you okay?" There was a brief silence before Gil heard a sniffle followed by Catherine's wobbly voice.

"Gil, I'm sorry. Did I wake you?" She sniffled again and cleared her throat. Gil could tell that she was trying to hide the fact that she had been crying which only made him more worried at what had caused his friend to cry in the first place.

"Uhh yeah, but it's fine. I think I was about to wake up anyway," he answered, thinking back to his dream. "What's the matter? Where is Tyler? Did he do something to you? Do you need to me to come for you?" Gil pushed his blanket aside and swung his legs over the edge of the bed, ready to get dressed and go to find Catherine if she was in trouble.

Catherine squeezed her eyes closed, withholding a wave of tears as she sensed how concerned Gil was and that she had unsuccessfully hidden her distress. Taking a deep breath, she replied quietly, "umm no, just… Is Lindsey asleep?"

Gil listened for any sounds of the younger blonde being awake but heard nothing. "I think so. Cath, tell me what's happened, do you need me to help you?"

There was a pause on the other end. "Can I come to yours? I'll explain everything."

"Of course, where are you? I'll come for you." Gil answered without hesitation and began pulling on his trousers.

"I'm actually on my way in a taxi," Catherine sniffled and continued. "I'll be there in a few minutes."

Gil felt relieved that she would soon be in his house where he could keep her from harm and let out a breath. "Okay, I'll see you soon." Catherine hung up without a goodbye. Gil hurriedly pulled on a t-shirt and went downstairs to unlock the door for Catherine then into the kitchen thinking that she may want a cup of coffee when she arrived. He knew it calmed her down so he put on the kettle.

A couple of minutes later, as Catherine had promised, he heard his front door being opened and closed carefully and the sound of Catherine's heels against the laminate floor of his hall. Abandoning her coffee, he went to her, taking in her unsettled appearance and weak smile. She lowered her eyes to the floor and swallowed. "He's married Gil," she told him in a quiet voice. Gil's heart sank at how hurt she was and was immediately enveloping her in his arms. She willed her tears not to fall but a couple still managed to escape, rolling down her cheek onto Gil's shoulder. She held him closely and continued to tell him what had happened.

"We were having such a good evening, so much better than last time and I actually felt like we had something going," she sniffled. "We talked and flirted the whole time over dinner and," she paused, "if I'm honest, I couldn't wait to go home with him," Catherine pushed her face into the crook of Gil's neck, making her blush evident. Gil kept quiet, letting her continue and comforted her by gently circling the small of her back with his thumb, trying to ignore her breath on his neck and the fact that she was still wearing _that_ dress. Catherine sighed with a shudder and went on. "Anyway, we finished dinner, he picked up the tab and we caught a taxi to my house. Things heated up a little in the car and by the time we got home, we were both pretty wound up." She sniffed and pulled out of Gil's embrace and headed towards the sofa with her head lowered, not daring to look Gil in the eye as his gaze followed her. She began removing her shoes. "We got in the door and before I knew it, he had me pressed against it. His hands were everywhere," she rolled her eyes, "and actually his lips felt really good. He was kissing me and-" Catherine caught a glimpse of Gil's uneasy shifting out of the corner of her eye and realized she was disclosing too much information, making him uncomfortable. "I'm sorry," she sighed, leaning forward, her head on one hand. "Next his phone rang. He didn't stop what he was doing when he answered so I was a little distracted. That was until I heard the word 'babe'," she scoffed, slumping back into the sofa. Gil took his cue to sit beside her. "Afterwards, I asked who it was and he just told me it was his wife like it was the most acceptable thing in the world. I couldn't believe it. Then he said she wouldn't find out and we could carry on having fun. As though I _wanted_ to be the 'other woman'…" Catherine shook her head and looked at her hands, biting her lip. "Is that what other people see me as, Gil?" Gil was slightly taken aback and became angry at how much Tyler's actions had knocked his usually confident and sassy friend's esteem.

"No, definitely not Cath." He wanted to reach out and hold her again and tell her how amazing he thought she really was but stayed put and watched her, despite his heart aching. She looked up to him.

"Then why do I always end up with men who treat me like this? I must put off some kind of vibe that makes them think I want to be cheated on or used or," she swallowed as she contemplated her next words, "…thrown around." She lowered her head again and leaned in towards Gil's side. He automatically slipped his arm around her shoulders, feeling her bare skin against his palm and feeling strangely comfortable with the contact.

"Bastards like that don't see real beauty in women, Cath. They look at an attractive woman like you and think that you owe them something or that they're entitled to do what they want with you. They don't care about the qualities you have that make you truly beautiful and that is why they treat you like that. It's nothing you do. They will never experience a meaningful and fulfilling relationship based on love and they're not worth your time." He paused. "'Love looks not with the eyes but with the mind.'" It occurred to him then that Catherine was the only person he could act this way around. He knew he couldn't have given that speech to anybody else without feeling self-conscious or awkward.

Catherine's mind was reeling. Gil was acting so unlike himself and if her ears hadn't defied her, he had used the words 'beautiful', 'attractive' and 'love' whilst talking about her. She understood what he was saying though. Guys like Tyler and Eddie only ever wanted her for what she looked like and not who she really was. She thought back to the quote he had used and glanced up at him. "Shakespeare?" He met her eyes.

"You got it," he smiled softly. She returned a small smile and laid her head back against him with a sigh. "Why can't there be more guys like you, Gil? You know, I think you're the only man I've ever fully trusted. You've been by my side through everything and despite all my mistakes and stupid ideas, you've never abandoned me. I just wish I could find somebody like you to spend the rest of my life with instead of-" Catherine continued but Gil began to lose himself in his own thoughts. He replayed her words and realised perhaps he could be the one to make her happy. She had said herself merely seconds ago that she wanted somebody like him. Maybe she didn't have to look for that person and could just have him. He contemplated giving in to her but he was reluctant to make a move. Perhaps he was generalising too much and she didn't actually want _him_. As his thoughts wrestled in his mind trying to establish a clear understanding, Gil became aware of his own feelings towards the strawberry blonde now snuggled into his side and felt his heart leap. He couldn't even hear what she was saying anymore but watched her lips move as she spoke. Surely he wasn't _in_ love with Catherine? He had known for a long time that he cared deeply for his friend and always wanted to protect her but had he really been so oblivious to his true feelings?

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Well it might be evil stopping there but for the next part I wanted a new chapter haha. It keeps my mind going if I have a clean page to start on. But tell me what you think of this so far anyway. I've already started on the next chapter but I need the encouragement to keep going so please review. Thanks x

The quote used by Gil is from A Midsummer Night's Dream by Shakespeare.


	9. Chapter 9

I'm still not that happy with this chapter but it's just annoying me now so I thought I'd just post it. I hope it lives up to what you expect. Let me know when you've read it and I think there's just going to be one more chapter after this. Thanks for the support up to this point. It's been really helpful x

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Finally getting her rant out of her system, Catherine sighed and relaxed against Gil feeling much better. Though Gil wasn't feeling so relaxed. He was considering his options after his startling revelation. Taking a deep breath and hearing his heart thumping in his ears he decided it was his turn to take a risk for once and forget about the consequences.

"Cath?" He murmured, feeling his pulse reverberating through his whole body at what he was about to do.

"Mhm?" Came the soft reply. As Catherine shifted her head into a more comfortable position nearer Gil's chest, she became aware of the apparent drum roll there. Gil found himself speechless and unable to go on with his plan. Catherine waited but with no response from Gil, and feeling his body burning up against her face, she became concerned. "Gil, what is it?" She looked up at him. "Your heart is-" Finding the ability to move again, Gil claimed Catherine's lips with his own, cutting off any further speech. At first, Catherine didn't know what to do and remained still. The kiss had come too unexpectedly for her to form a reaction yet but as Gil showed no signs of stopping, she couldn't deny the pleasure it brought her and began to return the kiss. Bringing his hand up to caress her cheek, Gil dared to deepen the kiss, surprised at his own forwardness. Catherine complied, twisting slightly to face him and wrapping one arm around his waist. After a few seconds, Gil leaned back and lowered his hand to caress her upper arm. As he watched her take slow deep breaths in an attempt to calm her heart rate and the confused expression slowly take over her face, he suddenly blurted out "Cath, I love you."

Catherine's eyebrows shot up and her jaw dropped slightly. It was all becoming too much for her. First, the kiss out of nowhere and now his declaration of love. She was brought back to the conversation she had with Lindsey the previous week and realised that her daughter had been right all along about her relationship with Gil. There always had been something more with him. "Oh my God…" she whispered to herself, forgetting briefly about Gil awaiting her response. Gil, who had been watching the changing emotions in her face, suddenly felt like he had made a huge mistake.

"Cath I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. I don't know what's gotten into me." Catherine realised that Gil thought she didn't love him back because of her reaction and placed her fingers against his lips to silence him and avoid losing the moment.

"Don't apologise Gil." She moved towards him slightly. "I don't ever want you to apologise for saying that again, okay?" She lifted her fingers from Gil's lips and pressed her own lips gently against them. But Gil pulled back.

"You don't feel that way about me though, it was silly of me to think that you would and now I've just ruined everything." Gil felt his heart tearing apart as he said those words. Still, Catherine leaned in to kiss him again.

"Honey, I'm trying to show you that I love you too. So will you just let me?" She smiled, hoping that Gil would now stop panicking, and closed the gap between them. Gil processed her words as they kissed, paying extra attention to the fact that she had called him 'honey'. He pulled her closely, now feeling highly relieved and complete, and pressed his cheek against Catherine's. She mimicked his actions with a contented sigh, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and holding him tightly. The pair remained like that for a few minutes before Gil spoke up.

"I never imagined in a million years that tonight would end like this." He told her, placing a tender kiss on his partner's bare shoulders. Catherine closed her eyes, relishing the feeling of his lips on her skin.

"Me neither." She nuzzled his neck.

Gil rocked her gently until he heard her small yawn. "We should get some sleep, Cath," he whispered softly. Catherine pulled out of his embrace and nodded slightly as she yawned again. "You can take my bed, I'll stay down here."

Catherine frowned slightly. "You don't want to go to bed with me?" Gil instantly realised how his suggestion sounded. "No, it's not that. I just thought maybe you weren't ready; I didn't want to rush you. Believe me, I would love to share my bed with you Cath." He hoped he had convinced her and reached for her hand in reassurance.

Catherine smiled sleepily. "Gil, we have to take things quickly. We have a lot to catch up on."

Despite her tiredness, Gil could still see the twinkle in her eye and couldn't prevent a smirk from forming. She held his gaze briefly before placing a kiss on his cheek. "Let's just stay here, I'm too tired to move." Catherine ran her fingers through her hair and yawned once more. Gil agreed and shifted into a laying position, making sure to leave a space for Catherine along the back of the sofa. As she moved in beside him, Gil began unbuttoning and removing his trousers, causing Catherine to raise an eyebrow.

"I don't normally sleep with trousers on," he smiled sheepishly. "I can keep them on if you want." He decided he'd rather be uncomfortable with his trousers on rather than having Catherine feel uncomfortable if he took them off and so began pulling them back up.

Catherine stopped his hands and took over by removing them completely before moving back in beside him. "It's fine with me," she smiled. Gil reached out for her and pulled her towards him. She complied, moving into his side and placing her head on his chest and entwining her legs with his. "Is this okay?" She wanted to be sure he was comfortable with the intimacy of the position.

"It's fine with me," he repeated her previous words and watched as the corners of her mouth curved slightly upwards. He delicately moved her hair from her face so that he could study her as she slipped into slumber.

As the couple lay together, Catherine realised she was missing something. "Gil? … Say it again," she whispered. Gil pondered for a moment over what it was she wanted to hear. Then it occurred to him.

"That I love you?" Catherine felt the joyous flip in her stomach as he uttered the three words and smiled widely.

"I love you too. We should talk things over in the morning."

Gil leant down to gently plant a kiss in her hair, feeling satisfied with how far they had come in just a couple of hours and that he had been brave enough to make his move. "We will," he told her.

Catherine sighed softly and was lulled to sleep by the peaceful thrumming of Gil's heart.


	10. Chapter 10

Okay, finally got to the last chapter. Thanks to everybody that reviewed, you gave me motivation to get this thing finished. Possibly thinking of doing a sequel but don't get your hopes up because it was only a thought. I don't actually know what would happen in it but I'd be open to suggestions. Anyway, read chapter 10 and tell me what you think just this last time. Thanks! x

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Lindsey found the pair in that same position the following morning as she came downstairs in search of breakfast. Catherine slept peacefully half on top of Gil with his arm wrapped protectively around her shoulders and their conjoined hands rested on Gil's chest. Lindsey watched them, feeling slightly confused and unsure about what to do and perhaps a little uncomfortable by the fact that Gil had no trousers on. She decided it was best not to wake them and instead went into the kitchen to prepare some breakfast.

Quietly, she made toast for the three of them, since her cooking skills were limited, and brought it into the livingroom. By this time her mother had woken and was half sitting up, trying to gain her bearings.

"Hey, good morning Linds," she whispered, feeling a little shy in the knowledge that her daughter had seen her sleeping beside a trouserless Gil on the couch.

"Good morning," Lindsey replied before going back into the kitchen for some orange juice.

Catherine looked down at the sleeping man beside her and smiled lovingly. Placing a hand against Gil's cheek, she made an attempt at waking him. "Gil? It's time to get up." Gil's eyelids began to part slowly as he felt her touch and he squinted against the daylight. Finding Catherine looking down on him with the sunlight from the window behind her highlighting her form, he smiled sleepily at her. "You look like an angel."

Catherine laughed softly, feeling her heart swell with love. "And you're half naked so you better get dressed before Lindsey comes back," she smiled. With that, she patted his chest and moved from beside him to stand up and stretch.

Gil was fastening his trousers just as Lindsey returned from the kitchen with juice for all of them. "Good morning uncle Gil. I used your bread, I hope that's okay." She placed the glasses on the table.

"Of course, it's fine Lindsey. Thank you for making breakfast." Gil reassured her, hoping he sounded relaxed. He felt very awkward about the whole situation and was worried about what Lindsey now thought of him.

As Catherine caught her daughter's gaze, it was obvious to her that Lindsey wanted some answers about what had happened the previous night and that she would have to explain. Although she had wanted to discuss things with Gil before revealing their newfound relationship to Lindsey, it now seemed that would have to wait until later.

Settling down for breakfast with Gil and Lindsey, Catherine decided to get the talk over with and made the first move. She leaned forward with her elbows on her knees, her hands clasped anxiously. "Lindsey, you're probably wondering what's going on. I mean with how you found me with Gil today. Umm…" Lindsey raised her eyebrows in affirmation as she chewed on some toast, causing Catherine to swallow nervously, unsure of how to continue. She glanced at Gil and, sensing her discomfort, he leant forward beside her as a supportive gesture. Turning back to Lindsey, she went on, taking a deep breath inwards. "Well things didn't work out so well with Tyler last night," she exhaled. "I got a little upset and came here after you were asleep." Gil reached for Catherine's hand hoping to relieve some of her nerves. Lindsey noticed the motion and smirked but let her mother continue. Catherine eased a little, realising her daughter already had some idea of what she was about to say and that she seemed comfortable with it. She stroked the back of Gil's hand as she proceeded. "Anyway, we go to talking and…" she tucked her hair behind her ear nervously. "Well I love him Lindsey." She blushed, avoiding eye contact.

Gil spoke up. "And I've discovered that I love her too," he squeezed Catherine's hand gently, earning a loving smile from her.

Lindsey was feeling quite proud of herself for predicting this. "Well you know… I-" She was about to boast before noticing her mother's narrowing eyes and changed her mind. "Congratulations," she grinned. "So… No more Tylers, or Adams, or-"

"No," Catherine firmly halted her. "Gil is my only now," she smiled at him as he leaned in to kiss her softly.

"So I should probably stop calling you 'uncle' Gil now," Lindsey laughed. "Because that just makes things weird." She screwed up her nose, causing Gil to laugh too.

"Call me whatever you feel comfortable with Lindsey."

She smiled. "Gil it will be then… By the way, did you guys sleep there?" She raised an eyebrow.

Catherine felt a blush creep up her neck and flood her cheeks. "Well yes… but I promise we only kissed Lindsey."

Lindsey's face contorted into one of horror. "Oh my God mom! I REALLY wasn't going to go there. I just meant it couldn't have been comfortable." She rolled her eyes.

Catherine, feeling sufficiently embarrassed replied, "Oh… Umm I guess it wasn't too bad." She glanced at Gil, finding him blushing also.

"Great," Lindsey rolled her eyes again and bit into a slice of toast.

"Lindsey you need to stop doing that," Catherine scolded as she caught the eye roll and tried to take back control of the situation. "Okayyy." Lindsey continued eating.

They shared breakfast together as a family. Gil watched and listened as Catherine and Lindsey chatted animatedly and he felt like he finally fit in somewhere. He felt happy at last and eagerly anticipated the changes that Catherine and Lindsey were going to bring to his life. Wrapping an arm around Catherine's waist, he gently tugged her closer beside him on the couch. Turning to look at him, she smiled brightly then planted a kiss on his cheek before returning to her conversation with Lindsey. He was very happy. And in love.


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